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Neapolitan Mastiff: Dog Breed Information

The Neapolitan Mastiff is a fairly large dog. Sometimes she makes others laugh with clumsiness. But more often it scares strangers with its formidable appearance. Therefore, the Neapolitans, like other Mastiffs, are perfect for the role of personal protector or watchdog.
With proper upbringing at an early age, the dog will not cause unnecessary trouble in the future. This is a kind and loyal animal.

Appearance

Neapolitans are large, tall dogs. Their height reaches the mark – 75-77 cm. And the weight is 70 kg.
A characteristic feature of the breed is the sagging skin on the pet’s face. Suspensions on a dense neck and on the body – give the already massive form of menacing. The main signs of the Neapolitan Mastiff are as follows:

  • The short, massive head and wide neck.
  • The back of the animal is strong and muscular.
  • The forearms and the shoulders themselves are well developed, the limbs are strong, in proportion to the body.
  • The tail of the dog is saber-shaped.
  • The coat of pets is short in length – up to 1.7 cm. In males, it is stiffer than in females. Coat color: beige, blue, fawn, black. White spots may appear on the chest and feet.

History of the Breed

The Neapolitan Mastiff is one of the oldest dogs in the world. The ancestors of today’s Neapolitans were the Roman Mastiffs, who took part in dog fights and in the military campaigns of legionnaires. At first, dogs were used to bait large animals on a hunt. For a long time, pets lived in the rural areas of Italy, where there was no one to breed dogs. Only in 1947, a group of specialists selected 8 outstanding representatives of the breed and brought out an official standard.

A pet, Hercules, brought wide publicity to the breed. This Neapolitan Mastiff was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records, thanks to its large size. The pet’s weight has reached 128 kg.

Personality

They are smart and phlegmatic dogs. They will not show feelings for everyone. But Mastiffs are very loyal and deeply attached to their owner. To save him, the Neapolitans will fight everyone. The dog does not like to bark, even in a situation of danger, it will prefer action than scare signals.

Fans of the breed say that new guests of the house go through tough face control by the dog. First, the dog looks closely at the person, then sniffs him and continues to observe him for a while.

Only when the Mastiff is convinced of the safety of the visitor does he lose all interest in him.

Also in the character of the pet, there is jealousy and selfishness. That is why the Neapolitan Mastiff should not be brought into a house where there are already other pets or small children.

It must be remembered that the Mastiff gives all of himself to his master, and in return expects reciprocity. They never harm their family members, but their large size often causes some kind of damage to health.

It is also important to know that Mastiffs never forgive betrayal. If a person hit him, seriously offended him, kicked him out of the house, or did something else bad in relation to this dog, then the pet will never again treat him with love. A dog chooses a leader for itself only once in its life.

Health

In general, the animal is healthy, but there are a number of diseases characteristic of this breed. These include:

  • dysplasia;
  • cardiomyopathy;
  • entropy;
  • dermatitis;
  • progressive retinal atrophy;
  • hypothyroidism;
  • pyoderma;
  • demodicosis.

Basically, your pet’s health will depend on its diet and the quality of its care. The Neapolitan Mastiff needs protection from parasites (fleas, ticks, worms). He needs vaccinations as prescribed by the veterinarian.

Care

An important aspect of caring for an animal is to provide it with a comfortable existence. Since the Mastiff is a large dog, it is important to provide him with his own place to rest in peace.

Neapolitans do not like activity, but movement is necessary for their normal development. Therefore, you often need to walk with the animal and come up with games for it.

The coat of a large dog does not require regular grooming and brushing. It is enough to periodically wipe the “skin” with a damp cloth. They bathe the dog before the show or when an unpleasant smell is heard. But not more often than once a month.

Before 1 year old, it is better not to bathe the dog at all. It is important to wash the paws of a pet that lives in the house after every walk on the street.

It is important to periodically wipe the folds on the face of the Neapolitan Mastiff. And after eating, also wipes the area around the mouth.

The eyes of the pet are washed as mucus appears in them. For these purposes, you can use tea leaves and a cotton pad. The pet’s ears are cleaned once every 2-4 weeks. Cleaning the teeth of the Mastiff will be good prophylaxis against dental diseases.

Conclusion

The Neapolitan Mastiff will become a good friend for any family. This cute dog, which is not scary to leave with children. On the contrary, she can become a great nanny. Neapolitans do not need careful care, but they love it very much when they arrange their own secluded place.

A seemingly bulky dog ​​does not eat so much, it is important not to overfeed a pet that is not very active in temperament. And then many health problems can be avoided.

Alice White

Written by Alice White

Alice White, a devoted pet lover and writer, has turned her boundless affection for animals into a fulfilling career. Originally dreaming of wildlife, her limited scientific background led her to specialize in animal literature. Now she happily spends her days researching and writing about various creatures, living her dream.

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